Mental health issues were the leading cause of hospitalizations for active-duty US military personnel in 2023, according to recent reports from the Defense Health Agency. This trend started in 2009 but has shown improvements over the past three years.
A badge of the US flag is seen on the uniform of a female US soldier as she stands near tanks at the United States Army military training base in Grafenwoehr, southern Germany, on July 13, 2022. (Photo : CHRISTOF STACHE/AFP via Getty Images)
Mental Health Is Leading Causes of Troops' Hospitalizations
While musculoskeletal injuries remain the top reason service members visit medical facilities, mental health conditions are the primary cause of overnight hospital stays.
Epidemiologists from the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Division analyzed all medical appointments and hospitalizations among troops in 2023 before reaching these findings.
In 2023, active-duty service members were hospitalized approximately 62,806 times. Nearly one-third of these hospitalizations, or 31%, were due to mental health treatment.
For men, the leading diagnoses were adjustment disorders and alcohol abuse. For women, the most common diagnoses were adjustment disorders and major depressive disorder.
According to the Military, the median hospital stay for mental health issues among military personnel in 2023 was five days, with some staying as long as 34 days.
Prioritizing Mental Health
The mental health of US service members has been a primary concern for the Defense Department since the late 2000s. This focus intensified as suicide rates increased not only among active-duty personnel but also in the National Guard and reserves.
Before 2008, military service was a protective factor against suicide, with rates lower among troops than the general US population. However, since that year, suicide rates among service members have steadily increased despite significant prevention efforts by the military and the Defense Department.
Mental health plays a vital role in the Defense Department's suicide prevention strategy. According to the researchers, understanding the various mental health diagnoses and hospitalizations is essential for creating effective policies.
They emphasized that accurately assessing the health status of the armed forces is crucial for predicting healthcare needs and costs, prioritizing treatments, and evaluating their effectiveness and cost-efficiency.
Out of the 14 million medical visits and hospitalizations that troops had in 2023, nearly 20% were related to mental health. That is a 3% increase from 2018, which the researchers also believe might be due to access to free medical care and training requirements.
Despite this, injuries were still the primary reason service members visited doctors. Injuries made up nearly a quarter of all medical visits by active-duty personnel last year, with back issues being the most common complaint. Knee problems and arm and shoulder injuries followed.
Sleep disorders were the fourth most frequent issue, with other musculoskeletal problems also prevalent. Anxiety, "ill-defined" symptoms, adjustment and mood disorders, and foot and ankle pain rounded out the top 10 reasons for troops seeking medical attention in 2023.
The researchers noted the link between mental and physical health, especially regarding back pain, and suggested that military providers should adopt a holistic approach to treatment.
They urged military medical leadership to use holistic, integrated approaches to care that consider the unique health challenges faced by service members in training and combat, as well as the interplay between military and civilian healthcare systems, better to meet the needs of military personnel and veterans.
